1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk player, and more particularly, to a disk player which can achieve simplification of a configuration for actuating a pickup feeding mechanism for moving an optical pickup that reads optical disk signals in a radial direction of a disk, and simplification of a configuration for detecting a state of the overall mechanism in the disk player.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk players, such as CD players, of the type for reading optical disk signals basically include three mechanisms: a disk rotating mechanism for rotationally driving a turntable, thereby rotating a disk carried by the turntable, a disk mounting mechanism for mounting the disk onto the turntable of a disk drive section, and a pickup feeding mechanism for moving the optical pickup in a radial direction of the disk.
Hitherto, these three mechanisms have been individually actuated by three motors that are separately provided thereon. That is, since an immediate response and a high-speed rotation are essential, the disk rotating mechanism is directly actuated by a disk rotating mechanism motor that is direct-coupled to the turntable.
Because of sequential operation of the disk in the horizontal and vertical directions with respect to the surface of the turntable, the disk mounting mechanism generally includes a transporting roller for horizontally transporting the disk onto the turntable, a damper member for chucking the disk on the turntable, and a shift plate for switching the transporting roller and the damper member. The shift plate is linearly actuated by a disk mounting mechanism motor so as to switch the transporting roller and the damper member, and to rotate the transporting roller.
Since a high degree of accuracy is essential, the pickup feeding mechanism is configured so that the optical pickup is precisely linearly moved by a lead screw that is directly engaged with the optical pickup, and the lead screw is adapted to be rotationally actuated by a pickup feeding mechanism motor that is arranged in the vicinity thereof.
On the other hand, in order to smoothly perform switching of actuation of the mechanisms and switching of modes between a control circuit and a signal processing circuit with a proper timing, a plurality of detection elements, such as detection sensors and detection switches, are used in the disk player. More specifically, there are provided a disc detection element for detecting insertion of the disk, a chucking completion detection element for detecting the completion of chucking of the disk mounting mechanism, and an inner periphery detection element for detecting the optical pickup located at an inner peripheral position. In addition, signals from these detection elements are used as starting/stopping commands for switching the actuation of the mechanisms.
For example, the signal obtained by the disk detection element is used as a start command for the disk mounting mechanism motor when inserting the disk, and a stop command for the disk mounting mechanism motor during a disk ejecting operation. The signal obtained by the chucking completion detection element is used as a start command for the pickup feeding mechanism motor during a shift from a disk loading operation to a disk playback operation, and a stop command for the disk mounting mechanism motor. The signal obtained by the inner periphery detection element is used as a start signal for the disk rotating mechanism motor at the start of the disk playback operation, a stop signal for the disk rotating mechanism motor, and a start command for the disk mounting mechanism motor during a shift from the disk playback operation to the disk ejecting operation.
The inner peripheral position to be detected by the inner periphery detection element is the position where TOC (Table of Contents) information, which is administrative information recorded in the inner peripheral area (read-in area) of an information recording area in the disk, is readable. That is, in the disk playback operation performed by the optical pickup, the TOC information is first read at the inner peripheral position and then, the disk playback operation is started on the basis of the TOC information. The inner periphery detection element is provided to detect the optical pickup located at such an inner peripheral position.
In the above conventional disk player, a large number of motors and detection elements are included, thereby complicating the configuration thereof.
That is, as described above, three motors are required for the configuration such that motors are individually used for the disk rotating mechanism, the disk mounting mechanism, and the pickup feeding mechanism. The use of the three motors increases the number of components including motor supporting members and driving force-transmitting members to complicate the configuration, and moreover, occupies a large space to restrict an arrangement and a design of peripheral members, thereby causing the overall mechanism to be increased in size and complicated. In addition, the number of wires is also increased because of individual power supply and control of the three motors. Furthermore, with respect to cost, the motors occupy a considerably large proportion of the entire mechanism, so that the use of the three motors is an obstacle in achieving cost reduction.
On the other hand, since the three mechanisms are actuated by individual motors, at least three detection elements of the disk detection element, the chucking completion detection element and the inner periphery detection element are required for switching the actuation of the mechanisms. The use of the three detection elements increases the number of wires for the detection elements. In addition, although the detection elements occupy a small space in the mechanism as compared with the motors, the increased number thereof restricts an arrangement and a design of peripheral members, thereby causing the overall mechanism to be complicated.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disk player which can achieve an increase in the versatility of the arrangement and design of the members, a reduction in size and simplification of the overall mechanism, and a reduction in cost by reducing the number of motors, detection elements, and associated members including wires.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk player, including a disk rotating mechanism for rotationally driving a turntable, thereby rotating a disk carried by the turntable, a disk mounting mechanism for mounting the disk onto the turntable of a disk drive section, and a pickup feeding mechanism for moving an optical pickup reading optical signals in a radial direction of the disk, wherein the disk player includes a selecting mechanism for transmitting a driving force from a single driving source selectively to the disk mounting mechanism and the pickup feeding mechanism.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the selecting mechanism may preferably have a selecting member which moves between a disk mounting position to transmit the driving force to the disk mounting mechanism and a pickup feed position to transmit the driving force to the pickup feeding mechanism. The disk mounting mechanism may preferably have a disk mounting lock means which locks the selecting member to the disk mounting position during a disk mounting operation. In addition, the pickup feeding mechanism may preferably have a pickup feeding lock means which locks the selecting member at the pickup feed position during a pickup feeding operation.
In accordance with the described arrangements, the selecting member is locked at the disk mounting position by the disk mounting lock means during the disk loading and ejecting operations, whereby the disk mounting mechanism can be reliably kept coupled to the driving side. In addition, the selecting member is locked at the pickup feed position by the pickup feeding lock means during the disk playback operation and the return operation of the optical pickup, whereby the pickup feeding mechanism can be reliably kept coupled to the driving side.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the disk mounting lock means may preferably be provided on a part of an operating member constituting the disk mounting mechanism, and adapted to release the lock of the selecting member when the operating member reaches an operating completion position.
In accordance with the described arrangement, the selecting member is locked at the disk mounting position by the operating member constituting the disk mounting mechanism during the disk loading and ejecting operations, whereby the disk mounting mechanism can be reliably kept coupled to the driving side. In addition, the lock of the selecting member is released upon completion of the operation of the operating member, whereby the disk mounting mechanism can be separated from the driving side, and the selecting member can be moved to the pickup feed position.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the disk mounting lock means may preferably be provided on a part of a switching member for switching the chucking of the disk on the turntable, and adapted to release the lock of the selecting member when the switching member reaches a chucking completion position.
In accordance with the described arrangement, the selecting member is locked at the disk mounting position by the switching member during the disk loading and ejecting operations, whereby the disk mounting mechanism can be reliably kept coupled to the driving side. In addition, the lock of the selecting member is released upon completion of chucking by the switching member, whereby the disk mounting mechanism can be separated from the driving side, and the selecting member can be moved to the pickup feed position.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the optical pickup may preferably be adapted to locate at the innermost peripheral position that is further inside of an inner peripheral position on the inner periphery side of an information recording area of a disk where optical disk signals are readable during the operation of the disk mounting mechanism. In addition, the optical pickup may preferably be adapted to hold the pickup feeding lock means on a lock release side when located at the innermost peripheral position. Further, the optical pickup may preferably be adapted to release the pickup feeding lock means so as to lock the selecting member at the pickup feed position by the pickup feeding lock means when located at the inner peripheral position and on the outside of the inner peripheral position.
In accordance with the described arrangements, the selecting member is locked at the pickup feed position by the pickup feeding lock means during the disk playback operation and the return operation of the optical pickup, whereby the pickup feeding mechanism can be reliably kept coupled to the driving side. In addition, the lock of the selecting member is released when the optical pickup reaches the inside of the inner peripheral position during its return operation, whereby the pickup feeding mechanism can be separated from the driving side, and the selecting member can be moved to the disk mounting position.
The disk player of the present invention may preferably further include a detection element which is adapted to detect the optical pickup located at the inner peripheral position on the inner periphery side of an information recording area of a disk where optical disk signals are readable, and is adapted to detect the completion of chucking of the disk on the turntable with the operation of the optical pickup.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the optical pickup may preferably be adapted to locate at the innermost peripheral position that is further inside of the inner peripheral position during the operation of the disk mounting mechanism. In addition, the detection element may preferably be adapted to detect the completion of chucking of the disk when the optical pickup moves from the innermost peripheral position towards the outside to reach the outer position of the inner peripheral position after the completion of operation of the disk mounting mechanism, and may preferably be adapted to detect the optical pickup located at the inner peripheral position when the optical pickup moves towards the inside of the disk to reach the inner peripheral position.
In accordance with the described arrangements, during the shift from the disk loading operation to the disk playback operation, the optical pickup is moved to a position slightly outside of the inner peripheral position to detect the inner periphery of the optical pickup and then, the optical pickup is returned to the inner peripheral position again, thereby detecting the inner periphery of the optical pickup. Therefore, both the completion of chucking and the inner periphery of the optical pickup can be reliably detected only by adding a reciprocating operation in a short distance near the peripheral position to the optical pickup when the optical pickup moves to the outside.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the selecting mechanism may preferably have a selecting member which moves between a disk mounting position to transmit the driving force to the disk mounting mechanism and a pickup feed position to transmit the driving force to the pickup feeding mechanism. The disk mounting mechanism may preferably have a disk mounting lock means for locking the selecting member at the disk mounting position during a disk mounting operation. The pickup feeding mechanism may preferably have a pickup feeding lock means for locking the selecting member at the pickup feed position during a pickup feeding operation. In addition, the optical pickup may preferably be adapted to hold the pickup feeding lock means on a lock release side when located at the innermost peripheral position, and may be adapted to release the pickup feeding lock means so as to lock the selecting member to the pickup feed position by the pickup feeding lock means when located on the inner peripheral position and oh the outside of the inner peripheral position.
In accordance with the described arrangements, the selecting member is locked at the disk mounting position by the disk mounting lock means during the disk loading and ejecting operations, whereby the driving side can be reliably kept coupled to the disk mounting mechanism. In addition, the selecting member is locked at the pickup feed position by the pickup feeding lock means during the disk playback operation and the return operation of the optical pickup, whereby the driving side can be reliably kept coupled to the pickup feeding mechanism. Further, the pickup feeding mechanism can be reliably separated from the driving side with the operation of the optical pickup at the completion of the disk playback operation. On the other hand, after the optical pickup has reached the inner peripheral position after the completion of the disk loading operation, the driving side can be reliably kept coupled to the pickup feeding mechanism by the pickup feeding lock means, so that the pickup feeding mechanism is not inconveniently separated from the driving side even if the optical pickup is returned to the inner peripheral position for the detection of the inner periphery of the optical pickup. Therefore, the optical pickup can be reliably moved to the outside following the detection of the inner periphery of the optical pickup, whereby the disk playback operation can be smoothly started.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the detection element may preferably be a detection switch. The detection switch is arranged so as to be pressed by the optical pickup when the optical pickup is located within the range of the innermost peripheral position to the inner peripheral position, and separated from the optical pickup when the optical pickup moves to the outside from the inner peripheral position.
In accordance with the described arrangement, the operating position of the optical pickup can be mechanically reliably detected by the detection switch.
In the disk player of the present invention, the pickup feeding mechanism may preferably have a lead screw which is engaged with one end of the optical pickup to linearly actuate the optical pickup, and the detection element may be arranged on the opposite side of the lead screw with respect to the optical pickup.
In accordance with the described arrangement, the detection element is provided around the optical pickup, particularly in an area having a relatively wide open space that is opposite to the lead screw. Therefore, the disk player offers the advantages of increased versatility of the arrangement of the detection element and of having little effect on the arrangement and design of other members.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the selecting mechanism may preferably include the following driving gear, idler plate, and idler gear. The driving gear is adapted always to be coupled to the single driving source, and rotated by the driving force from the driving source. Thus, an idler plate is provided as the selecting member to be pivoted between the disk mounting position and the pickup feed position by a friction generated between the idler plate and the driving gear in response to the direction of rotation of the driving gear. In addition, the idler gear is provided on one end of the idler plate so as to be always coupled to the driving gear, rotated with respect to the driving gear in response to the pivot of the idler plate, coupled to the disk mounting mechanism when the idler plate is located on the disk mounting position, and coupled to the pickup feeding mechanism when the idler plate is located on the pickup feed position. In addition, the idler gear is provided on one end of the idler plate so as to be always coupled to the driving gear, rotated with respect to the driving gear in response to the pivot of the idler plate, coupled to the disk mounting mechanism when the idler plate is located on the disk mounting position, and coupled to the pickup feeding mechanism when the idler plate is located on the pickup feed position.
In accordance with the described arrangements, the position of the idler plate is switched by a simple configuration using the driving gear, idler plate, and idler gear, whereby either of the disk mounting mechanism and the pickup mounting mechanism can be reliably coupled to the driving source.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the idler gear may include the following disk mounting idler gear and pickup feeding idler gear. The disk mounting idler gear is coupled to the disk mounting mechanism when the idler plate is located on the disk mounting position. The pickup feeding idler gear is separately provided from the disk mounting idler gear so as to be coupled to the pickup feeding gear when the idler plate is located on the pickup feed position.
In accordance with the described arrangements, individual idler gears can be arranged at convenient positions for the disk mounting mechanism and the pickup feeding mechanism, so that the versatility of the design can be increased.
In the disk player in accordance with the present invention, the disk mounting mechanism may preferably include the following switching control mechanism and transporting roller-actuating mechanism. The switching control mechanism switches a damper member which chucks the disk on the turntable between a chucking side and a release side, and switches a transporting roller for horizontally transporting the disk onto the turntable between a disk abutting side and a release side. The transforming roller-actuating mechanism rotationally actuates the transporting roller. On the other hand, the idler gear may preferably include a switching idler gear, a transporting roller-actuating idler gear, and a pickup feeding idler gear. The switching idler gear is adapted to be coupled to the switching control mechanism when the idler plate is located on the disk mounting position. The transporting roller-actuating idler gear is provided separately from the switching idler gear so as to be coupled to the transporting roller-actuating mechanism when the idler plate is located on the disk mounting position. In addition, the pickup feeding idler gear is provided separately from the switching idler gear and the transporting roller-actuating idler gear so as to be coupled to the pickup feeding gear when the idler gear is located on the pickup feeding position.
In accordance with the described arrangements, individual idler gears can be arranged at convenient positions for the switching control mechanism, the transporting roller-actuating mechanism, and the pickup feeding mechanism, so that the versatility of the design can be increased.